Techniques in archaeological geology / Методы в археологической геологии

This book is a survey of techniques used in archaeological geology or as it is more widely known, today—geoarchaeology. It is less a discussion of theory or methodology with regard to the various geological techniques that are presented. It is not an exhaustive presentation of the diversity of earth science methods that can be utilized in the service of archaeology. Earth science can be used in many ways in archaeology.

Certainly there are other ways to approach the multiplicity of archaeological questions that confront the student of the past, and this book does not presume to suggest that the techniques presented herein are the only ones appropriate for addressing the many facets of archaeological inquiry. The Penrose Conference, in 1987, sponsored by the Geological Society of America (GSA), archaeological geology was a rapidly growing interdisciplinary field in which archaeologists and geologists attempt to use the tenets of both their sciences to solve problems of mutual interest. This involves the application of the principles of geomorphology, sedimentation, isotope geochemistry, and petrology in the solution of problems of interest to both. As examples, the following may be cited: the effect of climate on sites and site selection; the extent to which archaeological sites may subsequently be modified by erosion, sedimentation, and tectonic activity; the application of geophysics in the search for and dating of sites; the application of dating techniques especially as related to the Pleistocene and Holocene; the interrelation of diet, culture, and environment; and the relation of artifact raw material to site selection, trade route development, and ancient technology. <...>